If the Browns' marketing department dreamed up an Oxyclean Spot Remover Spot Player of the Year, the 2012 award would go to Montario Hardesty hands down.

The third-year running back from Tennessee doesn't get many opportunities playing behind Trent Richardson, but when he does he makes the most of them. He has played in 11 of 15 games and has 51 carries for 234 yards. That breaks down to fewer than five carries a game.

Hardesty's workload will likely increase dramatically Sunday in the season finale in Pittsburgh. He is expected to make his first start because an ankle injury suffered in Denver prevented Richardson from practicing Thursday. Richardson also had to sit out Wednesday practice. Richardson's injury isn't serious, but with only one game left he might be done for the year.

"I'm just excited to get opportunities to play ball," Hardesty said. "If that means I get more carries, I'd welcome that with open arms.

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"I haven't forgotten how to play, so it will be good. I don't have to look at the whole game. It's just one play at a time. Every time I get a carry, I have to make the most of it."

Hardesty is a study in perseverance. During the 2010 draft, General Manager Tom Heckert traded a third-round pick and two fifth-round picks to the Eagles for a second-rounder, the 59th overall, to use on Hardesty.

Hardesty had a long injury history at Tennessee, and his NFL career started the same way. He suffered a bone bruise prior to training camp in 2010 and missed most of preseason because of it. He played in the final preseason game and blew out his ACL. He missed six games with a calf injury last year and after returning from it carried only 13 times in three games.

Heckert took heat for drafting an injury-prone player. There is irony in the idea Hardesty might be making his first start of his best season in what could possibly be Heckert's final game as general manager. CEO Joe Banner has promised to announce decisions on Heckert and head coach Pat Shurmur quickly after the season ends Sunday. All signs point to Mike Lombardi being crowned the new GM.

"It's to his credit," Heckert said recently. "He did a great job in the offseason. There are so many things on how long it takes for somebody to come back fully (from the ACL). Last year, he had the calf and other stuff that made the year uneventful.

"He did a great job and came back in great shape, and even though we drafted Trent he didn't mope around, so it's a credit to him."

Only two of Hardesty's 88 carries last season were for more than 10 yards. He has five carries in double figures this season -- not exactly Adrian Peterson numbers but results offensive coordinator Brad Childress can live with. He would be very happy if one of every five of Richardson's carries was as explosive, but that will have to wait until next season.

In the meantime, Childress says the game plan for the Steelers won't change if Hardesty starts. Brandon Jackson and Chris Ogbonnaya would be Hardesty's backups.

"We really design the game plan to attack the Steelers' defense," Childress said Thursday. "We probably won't do anything out of the ordinary. Trent could probably be the spot player this week if he could make it back."

Hardesty would be making his first start against the top-rated defense in the league. The Steelers, though 7-8, are second against the run and first against the pass. They have allowed only five rushing touchdowns.

"They have a stout defense," Hardesty said. "They have a lot of guys that have been playing together, so they all understand their fits and they blitz a lot. They have a good front. They have Casey Hampton, Brett Keisel, Lawrence Timmons, LaMarr Woodley, James Harrison ... it goes on. They pride themselves on playing good defense."

Hardesty carried the ball twice for 14 yards against the Steelers on Nov. 25. One run was for 13 yards.